COMMUNITIES

Book Selection and Evaluation Made Easy
Mrs. Ruth De Luna, HS-ITC Chairperson

Posted Friday, 11-Aug-2006 8:22 AM

      About 150 books have been added to the High School library’s rich collection.

      Last Tuesday, August 1, 2006 , the first batch of books that were recommended by the Library Development Committee (LDC), headed by the High School Assistant Principals, was approved by the High School Principal, Mrs. Jane Cacacho.

      Just like the previous years, May is the month when the high school librarians, along with the academic chairpersons, go to different bookstores and book vendors. They go through this first step in the long process of evaluating books. During this activity, department chairs select books that respond to the needs of their department. They also get books which they deem interesting for students. The librarians, knowing what the students usually look for in the library, gathers books that are in demand too.

      From there, the books are delivered by the vendors to school so that the department heads and their teachers can look at the books more closely. For several school years, the books for review have been delivered from the ITC to the concerned department chairs. Usually, the departments are given two weeks to decide on the merit of each book before they endorse any to the LDC.

      Last summer, however, Ms. Aimee Apolinario, Assistant Principal for Academics, suggested a shorter way to better facilitate book selection and evaluation. She encouraged the department chairpersons to dedicate one departmental meeting to this cause, so that all members of the department can participate in selecting books for the department. She also suggested that books for evaluation stay in the ITC premises, so that the books need not to be in several areas in the school.

      Thus, from July 19 – 28, departments took turns in visiting the Teachers’ Collection section where they evaluated the books. Hence, what was usually done by the department for two weeks was accomplished in a few hours. As a result, the LDC was able to proceed to the next step of the process and that is to go over what each department recommended, so that it can endorse the books to the Principal. Like the departments, the LDC examined the books in the ITC, and when the Principal’s turn came, she also went to the TC section for the final step.

      Because the books did not have to leave the ITC, delay in returning and occasional misplacing of books for evaluation were prevented. Moreover, the book evaluation process, which used to take several weeks and sometimes months, was completed in less than two weeks.

      Indeed, the new process did not only make the book selection and evaluation process faster, but it also made it more effective. With this procedure in place, the HS-ITC believes that it will be able to give more quality service by upgrading the high school library’s book collection more efficiently.

      The ITC is truly grateful for the cooperation of all the departments and the LDC.

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